THE Adult Education Association of Guyana, M.S., is celebrating 60 years, and to commemorate this signature milestone, it held a Graduation and Awards Ceremony at the Umana Yana, Kingston on Friday. The association was established on November 3, 1957.

There was also the presentation of Long Service Awards with awards being presented to the recipients by Lt. Col. (ret’d) Christine King, MSM who is also a facilitator at the AEA.
One hundred and thirty two men and women graduated with certificates of competence in various categories from the institution, headquartered at Lot 88 Carmichael Street, Georgetown.

Held under the theme: “Celebrating 60 years of Success; Providing Second chance opportunities

to Guyanese”, the ceremony attracted a large gathering which included the graduands themselves, staff of the Adult Education Association and relatives and friends who came out to lend moral support to the graduating students.
The welcome remarks were presented by Chairperson, Dr. Jamel Aowmathi, who is also President of the AEA, while the Executive Director, Ms. Patricia David. M.S. delivered the Director’s Report.

Special Guest, First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger delivered the feature address, while Ms. Ingrid Trotman, on behalf of the Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, delivered the Charge to the graduates from seven disciplines : Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC); Women’s Outreach Entrepreneurial Skills Courses;Child Care Management; Elementary Cake and Pastry Making;
Advanced Cake and Pastry Making; Elementary Food Preparation and Service; and Quick Breads and Yeast Dough Making.

The “Child Care Management Class of 2017” was the largest, with 38 students graduating, followed by ‘Elementary Cake and Pastry Making” with 16 graduates. Thirteen students graduated from the Advanced Cake and Pastry Making course. In the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC), the combined total of graduating students for years 2015, 2016 and 2017 was 29 persons, 11 of whom were male. 2015 had eight graduates, 2016 – six and 2017 – 12. Passes were drawn from: English, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Social Studies and one person with Spanish.

The Valedictorian was Shaquille Nurse who graduated from the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence Caribbean Certificate Programme.
The AEA’s Mission Statement reads: The Adult Education Association of Guyana, Inc, M.S. seeks to provide through the non-formal system, the education and training which the Guyanese people need and desire, which has not been met by the formal system, to render them efficient participants in the development process of the nation.”